80 Nursing Cadets Commissioned... Second Lieutenant Kim Minju Awarded the Presidential Citation

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] The Ministry of National Defense announced on the 5th that it will hold the 61st graduation and commissioning ceremony at the Armed Forces Nursing Academy in Daejeon.

On this day, 80 newly commissioned nursing officers, including one Thai cadet, will receive the rank of second lieutenant. Among them, seven are male. They enrolled in 2017, completed four years of military training and degree education, and all passed the national nursing examination held in January.

Second Lieutenant Kim Min-ju (photo), who received the Presidential Award for the highest academic achievement, also received the Korean Nurses Association Award.

Second Lieutenant Kim said, "Based on the motto 'Pursuit of Truth, Practice of Love, Light of the Homeland,' I will strive to become a nursing officer who helps restore the daily lives of the people."

The Prime Minister's Award was given to Second Lieutenant Jeong Yu-seon, and the Minister of National Defense Award was given to Second Lieutenant Park Hyun-ji. Second Lieutenants Song Chae-yoon and Chae Soo-yeon are descendants of national merit recipients, and Second Lieutenant Go No-won is the granddaughter of a Korean War veteran.

Cadet Pattaraphon Choksomnam attracted attention as the first Thai graduate of the Armed Forces Nursing Academy. Having passed the Korean national nursing examination alongside his classmates, he plans to return to Thailand, take the Thai national nursing exam, and be commissioned as a second lieutenant.

The other 61st class newly commissioned nursing officers will be assigned to 16 military hospitals nationwide after completing a three-week command staff course.

Meanwhile, the event was held without inviting parents to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), with only essential military personnel attending. For families who could not attend, the ceremony was broadcast live on the Ministry of National Defense Public Relations Institute's YouTube and Facebook.